As soon as those words were spoken, everyone present frowned in unison.
It was not that they were surprised Jiang Fengshan had committed some crime. What shocked them was that the Inspection Bureau had apparently grown bold enough to storm into the conglomerate headquarters and arrest someone?
And they were arresting a heavyweight like Jiang Fengshan.
Where were the security guards? Where the hell were the security guards?!
Xu Shi was the first to object. He slapped the table and rose to his feet. "Director Tang, aren't you going too far? Hm?"
"This is the boardroom at Serpent Coil headquarters. We're holding a board meeting right now, and you just barged in to arrest someone? Do you have any respect for us at all?!"
"...My apologies, Chairman Xu. Please calm down."
Tang Shuang froze for a moment before responding as calmly as she could. "But I am acting in accordance with the law. I hope you can understand."
She secretly rolled her eyes at Xu Shi.
Weren't you the one who told me to come?
Though the copy sent to the Inspection Bureau had been an anonymous report, she could more or less guess that Xu Shi was most likely the informant.
It probably involved a dispute over interests within their conglomerate... She had not become Director of the Inspection Bureau at such a young age merely because she could fight. She knew these sorts of things inside out.
But thinking about it that way, wasn't she being used by him as a knife to kill someone?
Still, she simply could not stand the contents of the recording. Even out of sympathy for Jiang Chengcheng as a fellow woman, she had to come here herself.
And the fact that such a rash move had apparently encountered no resistance only made her more certain of her suspicions.
That was truly irritating.
Even if she had come willingly, being used as someone else's weapon was hardly pleasant.
And then he had the nerve to point at her and scold her?
Are you even human, you one surnamed Xu?!
Lin Wenhua had noticed it as well. In all of Serpent Coil's history, nothing like this had ever happened!
If no one had given the order, the Inspection Bureau could only have stood around waiting downstairs, only to leave empty-handed in the end.
And if they were asking who had given that order... the only person who could target Jiang Fengshan like this was Xu Shi.
So this was what you had been waiting for, huh?
"Director Tang says I am guilty. May I ask where the evidence is?"
After his brief shock, Jiang Fengshan came back to his senses and calmed down. "I am, after all, the head of Serpent Coil's Engineering Department. If you intend to arrest me based on nothing but rumors, then I will sue you for defamation!"
At this point, even if he were slow-witted, he could figure out that Jiang Chengcheng had likely betrayed him.
After all, he had only done those things to Jiang Chengcheng. If she had not told Xu Shi, he imagined Xu Shi would never have learned of them in his lifetime.
So she had only been stringing him along before?
Jiang Fengshan cursed inwardly. He had never expected that little bitch to turn on him, yet he had not noticed a thing!
Or perhaps it was simply his confidence. After all these years, he had long been certain that he had crushed every shred of Jiang Chengcheng's will to resist.
But angry as he was, he was not worried.
In public, he had always presented himself as a loving father. Besides, Jiang Chengcheng had been diagnosed with mental illness.
If all she had were a few verbal accusations, they would be completely useless.
But the very next second, he was brutally slapped in the face. With a flick of Tang Shuang's wrist, the recording being used as evidence appeared.
The recording was long, but its contents were much the same throughout.
It showed Jiang Fengshan abusing and beating Jiang Chengcheng in countless ways, while his beastlike words and actions were recorded as well.
"Wasn't it only right for you to help me write reports and analyze design proposals? I raised you all these years, and you actually had the nerve to argue with me over plagiarism and credit?"
"If I hadn't mercifully adopted you back then, you'd probably have died in some corner long ago!"
In the video, Jiang Chengcheng could only curl herself up as much as possible and cover her mouth to keep herself from crying. Her helpless appearance made people's hearts ache.
The others' gazes toward Jiang Fengshan grew increasingly strange. Clearly, none of them had expected this smiling old man to have such a side to him behind closed doors.
"Enough. We can discuss the details back at the bureau."
Tang Shuang cut off the video in time, clearly unwilling to let everyone see more. "Any other questions, Mr. Jiang?"
Jiang Fengshan had yet to recover from the shock.
He was not an idiot. Even in his own home, he would never have allowed evidence of something like this to remain!
So where had that little bitch installed those miniature cameras? And she had even bypassed the signal interference in the house?
Her skill in this area... was actually that high?
But now was not the time to dwell on it. He quickly composed himself and shot Lin Wenhua a look.
Lin Wenhua understood immediately. He nodded without a word, then brought up his communicator and sent a message to someone unknown.
He did not care what Jiang Fengshan had done, but he absolutely could not stand by and watch the man fall into the Inspection Bureau's hands.
After all, Jiang Fengshan was not a pawn like Xu Anbang, someone who could be discarded at any time. He was practically Lin Wenhua's right-hand man!
How could he possibly allow him to be taken away?
Sure enough, shortly after he made his move, Tang Shuang's communicator rang.
The director immediately sensed trouble. As expected, the longer she listened, the worse her expression became.
Seeing this, Jiang Fengshan and Lin Wenhua both revealed smug smiles.
After operating in Night City for so many years, they had never neglected their connections.
In their eyes, what was a mere Director of the Inspection Bureau?
She was nothing more than someone under City Hall... A title like that was only useful for intimidating common civilians or the little thugs of Sin City. To the conglomerates, it was beneath notice.
The Six Great Conglomerates were the uncrowned kings of Night City. How could they allow a mere Director of the Inspection Bureau to run wild here?
Tang Shuang was only here because she was stubborn enough to charge straight ahead. Anyone else likely would not even have come.
And someone like her was only slightly more troublesome. All they needed to do was pressure her superiors at City Hall.
At that thought, Lin Wenhua gave Xu Shi a meaningful look.
With only this much ability, he dared imitate others and use a borrowed knife to kill?
That was far from enough. Young people were still too young.
But regardless, he had realized that Xu Shi truly could not be allowed to remain. He could no longer indulge him in this childish game as before.
Tang Shuang's face was also filled with helplessness. The demand over the communicator had naturally been for her to stop the arrest, withdraw her team, and leave.
But honestly, she did not want to give up just like that.
So she still walked to one side, lowered her voice, and fought as hard as she could.
But clearly, it was all futile.
After ending the call, she turned to look at Xu Shi, her eyes carrying a hint of regret.
It was rare for her to feel that, regardless of his motives, this guy had at least done something good.
Who would have thought it would end this way?
Meeting her gaze, Xu Shi remained remarkably calm, showing none of the frustration one would expect from a failed scheme.
He merely gave Tang Shuang a look, then gently pressed his hand downward, signaling for her not to rush.
It was at that moment that an ill-timed voice sounded from nearby.
"Then what about me? Am I qualified to take this old bastard away?"
Before you continue